Homosexual  pedophile of Bristol found guilty of raping a child 

A homosexual pedophile has been jailed after being found guilty of rape.

By Edward Era Barbacena 

Lexi-Rose Crawford from Bristol had denied rape and assault by penetration but was found guilty by a jury at Bristol Crown Court earlier.

The 24-year-old was on licence at the time of the attack, having recently been released from prison for a previous sex attack on a child.

Judge Michael Longman described the attack as "shocking" as he jailed Crawford for nine years.

The court heard how Crawford had taken a PlayStation to the victim's house in order to play computer games.

But Crawford started to make sexual advances on the victim, who refused and told her: "Stop. I don't want this."

However, Crawford continued and went on to rape the victim, the court was told.

In an impact statement read in court, the victim - who cannot be named for legal reasons - said the attack had led to her attempting to take her own life.

The court was told the victim had to spend time in hospital as a result of the impact the attack had had on her mental health.

Crawford - previously known as Dominic Risden - had claimed during the trial that he had blacked out during the attack and had no memory of it.

But Judge Longman told him in court that was "not relevant" because "what happened, happened".

Defending, Charley Pattison asked the judge to take Crawford's age, traumatic childhood and mental health issues into account.

Pattison said an apparent lack of remorse was not the case. She said: "The absence of 'I did this' is not absence of remorse.

"He is remorseful about what happened. He accepts the verdict of the jury and knows she must be punished."

The Ministry of Justice said the decision to hold Crawford in a men's prison was in line with their policy that transgender prisoners who have committed sexual offences may not be held in women's prisons.